Fun Things to do in Astoria Oregon: 3 Day Astoria Itinerary
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I can’t believe I’ve lived in Oregon for going on 15 years (omg already??) and I had never had a proper overnight stay in Astoria. Sure, I had visited a few times, but part of the reason I’ve only done day trips is because I honestly didn’t know there were things to do in Astoria that could sustain me for more than a few hours.
I know, I know, the biggest misconception of my life.
If you didn’t know, hello my name is Kay and I am in a relationship. Since I plan 99.9% of our travels and they usually involve some kind of wacky itinerary, for our anniversary I cater to my partner’s travel preferences and we go somewhere to relax – bonus points if there’s a beach. In the past, we’ve prioritized international destinations like Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and the Maldives, but this year…
…we’re broke, lol. Or specifically I am broke. So we wanted to keep it cute, but local. As timing would have it, a hotel in Astoria, Oregon reached out to me for a comped stay and I was like…wow, the divine budgeting Gods have descended upon me. Like the good working girlfriend I am, I agreed to the complimentary stay and based our anniversary around exploring Astoria more in depth.
Three birds, one stone.
Long story short, I spent 3 nights and four-ish days in the coastal city and here are my recommendations for where to stay, what to eat, and all the fun things to do in Astoria, Oregon.
Where to Stay
First things first, let’s get into arguably the most important part of this blog post. Where should you lay your beautiful little head during your trip to Astoria?
From the intro, you could probably guess that I’m going to mention the hotel that comped my stay…and you would be correct. That said, this hotel did not ask anything of me, not even to include them in a blog post. I…I don’t even think they know I have a blog, actually haha. As a freelancer, I have the occasional opportunity to feature local businesses if I have an assignment about Oregon, and this hotel just wanted me to be familiar with them and their business if I chose to feature them in something in the future.
The hotel is the Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa and, comped stay or not, they are the best hotel in Astoria. That is 100% genuine, and it’s not just me. Check their reviews.
They have free parking (one of my must-haves for staycations) and they are located right on the Columbia River where literally EVERY ROOM has a view. AND there’s a cute lil vintage car that will take you around the town, it’s one of the super cute things to do in Astoria. That alone gives it a little extra luxury oomph while still being a mid-range luxury getaway ($300-$450) a night.
There’s an onsite spa, fitness center (with very high tech equipment) and a small bar/restaurant. Every guest gets a daily allowance for the bar, but I was usually too full at the end of the night to use it.
Full transparency, my wallet is stretched a bit to thin to casually avoid hotels in this price range, but for an anniversary I do think it is worth the price. If I were paying out of pocket, I would honestly still choose Cannery Pier Hotel, but probably just stay two nights. However, everyone’s budget is different so here are a few other options that are more affordable:
What to Eat
The thing that surprised me the most about Astoria is how many great restaurants there were – AND how diverse the cuisine was…yanno, considering the town’s demographic. But that was just another misconception.
I ate great throughout my entire Astoria trip, and one of my favorite things to do in Astoria was actually just looking up what restaurant we would be eating at next! Since I’m pretty sure none of us need a super long analysis of what a restaurant is, I’m going to quickly bullet my favorites and where you should go!
Breakfast
- Blue Scorcher Bakery: So good I actually went back twice! I would recommend going early as they had a few sold out items on my trip
- Broder Strand: Delicious and a great stop for some Nordic dishes (a large immigrant population in Astoria!)
Lunch/Dinner
- Athena Mediterranean Kitchen: Our first dinner in Astoria and WOW everything was delicious, plus they’re open late! You do have to cross a somewhat sketchy bridge, but it’s safe.
- Busu: Now THISSS is a spot you need to go and go EARLY! Super tasty ramen and they usually sell out before the end of the night!
- Tuimato Hawaiian BBQ (food cart, seating outside): Their poke hit the spottttt omg it was so good!! They had folks lining up at the cart before they even opened.
- Dogos Obson (food cart, seating outside + inside): Pretty much every food cart in this lot is good, but my favorite was Dogos cuz I’m a hot dog FIEND and no one beats Sonora hot dogs! The owners are from Sonora and get their buns directly from there! AUTHENTIC deliciousness!!
- Surf 2 Soul (food cart, seating outside): Who said there aren’t Black owned restaurants on the Oregon Coast?? If you’re in the mood for soul food, they got you covereddd and then some!
- Fulio’s: Great Italian spot, and this is coming from someone who is VERY picky about Italian food!
Desserts/Cafes
- Naked Lemon Bakery (no indoor seating): The cutest little bakery with fresh goods! There’s no indoor seating but I grabbed some cake on my way out to explore other things to do in Astoria! Perfect picnic addition!
- Custard King: Ohhohhh CUSTARD KING is the perfect after-dinner spot! They also have food, but tbh the custard alone is worth the drive to Astoria. Reminds me of my days in Milwaukee!
Things to do in Astoria
Okay finally the meat of the blog post. To fill your weekend (or longer) getaway, what are some fun things to do in Astoria? Don’t worry, I gotchu. If you’ve been to other Oregon Coast cities like Yachats or Tillamook, you might be more familiar with a slower pace of things.
However Astoria is a lot bigger. After all, it used to be referred to as the “New York City of the West.” I know, but true story. It is…clearly not comparable now, and it is still a relatively small town, but there are a lot more things to do in Astoria than you may assume.
Let’s jump in!
Astoria Column
This is probably the biggest and most popular of all the things to do in Astoria, and you’ll see why.
The Astoria Column is a 125ft (38m) monument that was built to recognize the American settlers who made their way west to Astoria. In fact, during its inception, the thought behind making the column was for it to rival the Eiffel Tower.
Again…Astoria used to be the New York City of the West. They had big plans, okay?
The column signifies the end of the trail, the Oregon Trail that is, and is located at the top of a hill overlooking Astoria. The art on the column depicts the colonization along the way but it feels…a little glossed over? To contrast, outside of the column they do have additional information about the Indigenous communities that have inhabited the area since the beginning, and continue to do so, and that was great to see.
Visiting the column is “technically free” but there is a mandatory parking fee of $5 USD for anyone that drives (and parks), but that’s not bad for one of the best things to do in Astoria. AND the pass is good for the entire year if you return. The Astoria Column is open daily from 5am-10pm, so you can catch sunrise, sunset, and everything in-between throughout the year.
It is also free to climb the column, and while it doesn’t take too long, it is ALL STAIRS and you will likely be huffing, so take your time and pace yourself. On a clear day, you could probably see most of the major mountains in the area. It was a bit cloudy, but we were still able to see Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Adams (I think), and the tops of the Cascades farther back.
Cathedral Tree Trailhead
While you’re at the Astoria Column, you can also check out another of the fun things to do in Astoria which is….hike! Specifically, the Cathedral Tree trailhead. Not only is it super accessible, especially if you’re already parked at the column, but it’s a beginner friendly hike that is also good for pets and kids!
The trail is 1.6miles/2.5km long, which will take you about 1 hour to complete round trip. The path is unpaved, so not the best if you are a little shakier on your feet and not wheelchair or walker friendly, but it is a beautiful spot.
Oregon Film Museum
Now, full transparency, visiting the Oregon Film Museum is the only one out of these things to do in Astoria…that I didn’t do. But that’s just because I’ve never watched The Goonies.
Lemme explain.
A SURPRISING amount of movies have been filmed in and around Astoria and Oregon at large. In fact, you could probably list “film a movie” as one of the must-do things to do in Astoria since every major and indie movie and tv producer seems to think so. I mean, just to name a few:
- Kindergarten Cop
- Free Willy
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III
- Ring of Fire
- Dexter
- The Goonies
And those are just the ones I’ve heard of in Astoria specifically. In 1909, the FIRST scripted commercial film was made in the state of Oregon (The Fisherman’s Bride), and since then Oregon has been no stranger to classic American movies and television sets.
The Oregon Film Museum was actually the working set for three movies filmed in Astoria: The Goonies, Short Circuit, and Come See The Paradise. The museum talks about the history of movie production in Oregon, and you can even make your own short movie, and there are many exhibitions featuring The Goonies, an Oregon favorite.
However since I’m always short on time and I haven’t seeeen any of these movies or TV shows….I haven’t prioritized visiting yet. But chances are you have, but regardless it is definitely one of the coolest things to do in Astoria for most people.
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Now this was one of the most surprising things to do in Astoria because….what business does a museum have being this cool???
The Astoria Nordic Heritage Park is located right along the water, next to the Astoria Nordic Heritage Park (which is really small, you’ll only spend a few minutes there but it’s worth the stop). Technically, there are two parts of the museum, the inside and the Lightship Columbia, a retired floating lighthouse that is now a National Historic Landmark. If you’re visiting later in the day, I’d recommend starting at the Lightship because it closes at 3pm.
Inside the museum, you learn all about the Columbia River and everything that is associated with it, primarily the Coast Guard, the trade along the river (and how dangerous it is), and…surprisingly for me, how instrumental Astoria was in WWII! The World Wars aren’t the wars that interest me the most, but this museums exhibition was fantastic and really eye-opening.
However my favorite exhibition was the Cedar and Sea exhibit which showcases the culture, history, and tools representing thousands of years of innovation by Indigenous peoples along the Pacific Northwest coast.
Admission fee is $18 USD for Adults (18+), $15 for seniors (65+), and free for active duty military. This museum made me realize just how COOL the area of the world is and how many of the cool things to do in Astoria are unique to this area. It’s a cool spot and I’d budget for 2-3 hours here, depending on how much you like to read the placards in museums.
Fort Clatsop
I meannnn, can you really come ALL the way to Astoria and not see the end of the Oregon Trail?
Technically, the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park is made up of 12 sites along the coast in Oregon and Washington, but my recommendation would be heading to Fort Clatsop. Fort Clatsop was the winter encampment for the Corps of Discovery (the Lewis and Clark expedition team) upon hitting the Pacific Ocean.
Fort Clatsop has a mini museum exhibit, a bookstore, and of course a replica of what Fort Clatsop looked like in the L&C days. I first visited on a day tour with the Oregon Black Pioneers and I learned that it is also the site where York and Sacagawea voted where to place the fort, making it the first instance a Black person and a Native American voted in a federal election (technically).
So, extra points for Fort Clatsop!
The entrance fee is $10 USD per adult, or free with the America the Beautiful pass for the cardholder and 3 guests! I’d budget for about an hour plus 30 minutes of travel time roundtrip.
Heritage Museum
Another museum, but this one is smaller and more focused on the heritage and the people of Astoria and the surrounding areas. For those of us more interested on the anthropology side of things, this will definitely be the museum for you, and honestly probably end up being one of your favorite things to do in Astoria.
It’s where I learned that Astoria was even called the “New York City of the West.”
Yes, I’m gonna keep putting that in quotes.
It’s not that big of a museum, so you’ll only spend about an hour there max, but I especially loved that they had a lot of information about the Indigenous Nations of the region. It’s also super affordable with just $5 USD per adult, so perfect for anyone looking for affordable!
Wreck of the Peter Iredale
Speaking of affordable, this one is completely free! But…you will need a car.
Whatever you do, do NOT put “the wreck of peter iredale” into your GPS. It will take you down a dirt road that is usually at least SOME degree of flooded. If you want to know my disastrous experience going that way, then definitely watch my Instagram reel on it haha.
Instead, what you should do is is head to Fort Stevens. There, you’ll find a safe PAVED road that will lead you straight to the beach (if you want to drive on it), or you can park in the parking lot and walk down.
Now onto what the heck the Peter Iredale is in the first place. So if you’ve visited the Columbia River Maritime Museum, you’ll learn just how dangerous the Columbia River is, and there’s been thousands of ships sunk trying to traverse its current. One such ship was the Peter Iredale, which now you can see is wrecked on the beach.
Seeing the ship itself won’t take that long, but while you’re there feel free to take a stroll on the beach, especially if you go around sunset. That said, PLEASE take a look at the tide schedule, especially if you choose to drive/park on the beach. It’s one of those weird quirky things to do in Astoria that…you can really only do in a few places. I mean, how often is there a LEGIT shipwreck so casually on the beach?
Make sure you have your tetanus shot tho.
Gizmo’s Retrocade
And last but not least, I had to throw in something for the kiddos – and the young at heart. Gizmo’s is a cute little arcade, but emphasis on little, with about a dozen pinball and classic arcade machines.
It’s a great way to pass the time in-between activities or to digest after dinner.
They have food, but to be honest I didn’t eat there so I can’t speak to that. But because it is a small place, you may either have to wait to play on your favorite arcade machine or try out a few others before a specific one opens up.
Conclusion
With all of this said, one of the best things to do in Astoria is to simply…relax. Astoria was such a surprisingly pleasant stay, I can’t believe I hadn’t stayed overnight in this charming coastal town before.
DON’T BE LIKE ME!!!!
It was such a pleasure to spend my anniversary here, and I’m excited for more staycations around Oregon!
If you’ve visited before, what are your favorite things to do in Astoria that you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments below! I’d love to hear your suggestions because I’m definitely heading back!
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